The Margin

The Margin An independent, nonprofit, award-winning publication dedicated to covering environmental justice in the United States.

09/18/2026

👉 Comment HEAT to read the full story.

Can an A/C save your life? About 500 New Yorkers die from heat every year. City officials call these deaths “entirely preventable. So why is staying cool still so hard for the people most at risk?

The Margin analyzed 60,000+ NYC cooling assistance applications from 2024–2025. Nearly 1 in 5 were denied because applicants lacked sufficient documentation or couldn’t prove a qualifying medical condition. And even when residents receive an A/C or fan, the program doesn’t help pay the electricity bill to run it.

In summer 2025, Black New Yorkers died from heat-related illness at 3x the rate of white New Yorkers. Latino residents died at 2x the rate.

Our latest investigation examines why so many New Yorkers are still being left to figure out how to stay cool on their own.

👉 Comment HEAT to read the full story.

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The Margin wins its first Covering Climate Now Journalism Award for Outstanding Displacement & Migration Reporting for “...
09/17/2026

The Margin wins its first Covering Climate Now Journalism Award for Outstanding Displacement & Migration Reporting for “Saving Sinking Homes” by Jess Zhang and Megan Gannon, with Katie Basile.

Judges said Zhang and Gannon offer “a great exploration of how climate impacts pile on top of other longstanding challenges,” calling the story “beautiful and memorable.”

Read the full story a here: https://themargin.us/features/saving-sinking-homes

Comment HEAT to read our latest story.About 500 New Yorkers die from heat every year. City officials call these deaths “...
09/17/2026

Comment HEAT to read our latest story.

About 500 New Yorkers die from heat every year. City officials call these deaths “entirely preventable.” But staying cool can be difficult and expensive.

Many New Yorkers like Cecil Brooks, Jr. have an air conditioner in their homes but rarely runs it overnight because of the cost of electricity.

The Margin analyzed more than 60,000 NYC cooling assistance applications from 2024–2025. Nearly 1 in 5 were denied because applicants lacked sufficient documentation or couldn’t prove a qualifying medical condition. And even when residents receive an air conditioner or fan, the program doesn’t help pay the electricity bill to run it.
In summer 2025, Black New Yorkers died from heat-related illness at 3x the rate of white New Yorkers. Latino residents died at 2x the rate.

In our latest investigation, The Margin examines why so many New Yorkers are still being left to figure out how to stay cool on their own as extreme heat becomes increasingly deadly.

👉 Comment HEAT to read the story.
📥 Comment SUBSCRIBE to sign up for our weekly newsletter delivering impactful environmental justice stories straight to your inbox.

Presented by The Margin as part of the day-long Stories that Move at NYC Climate Week, this program brings together inve...
09/15/2026

Presented by The Margin as part of the day-long Stories that Move at NYC Climate Week, this program brings together investigative journalists, editors, and photographers to discuss the power of investigative and data-driven reporting that centers the people and places most affected by environmental and climate injustice. Panelists will explore how fact-based journalism, done with and for frontline communities, exposes injustice and drives accountability while elevating solutions from the frontlines. Register at https://luma.com/oopv0l2r

09/10/2026

With Ottavia Spaggiari ‘s 2022 and 2024 reporting for The Margin, Aamir explains the connection between Indigenous sovereignty and climate justice, culminating in the impact we story we published last week, “United Houma Nation Launches Climate Mitigation Plan in Southern Louisiana.”

The Margin wins its first Online Journalism Award in 2026 for Jess Zhang, Katie Baldwin Basile, and Megan Gannon’s rep...
09/04/2026

The Margin wins its first Online Journalism Award in 2026 for Jess Zhang, Katie Baldwin Basile, and Megan Gannon’s reporting, “Saving Sinking Homes” and ‘Morning Land that Leaves.”

Here’s what the judges had to say:
“The judges all agree that this is a tough category, and the winner took a unique and targeted look at the effects of climate change on a population that had traditionally been neglected by the US government. The reporters got a great story because they stayed in the community and gained the trust of those affected.”

Comment “Impact” to read the story.This is what investigative reporting can do. In 2022, The Margin reported on the Unit...
09/03/2026

Comment “Impact” to read the story.

This is what investigative reporting can do. In 2022, The Margin reported on the United Houma Nation’s fight for federal recognition and how that gap left the Tribe exposed to climate disaster. In 2024, NOAA awarded the Tribe $56.5 million. And now, that resilience plan is finally underway.

Independent reporting on environmental justice takes time, trust, and resources. Comment “Rise” to support our reporting.

Environmental injustice doesn't end when the story runs. It ends when someone is held accountable.Join The Margin at NYC...
08/31/2026

Environmental injustice doesn't end when the story runs. It ends when someone is held accountable.

Join The Margin at NYC Climate Week for The Power of Journalism, two panels bringing together investigative journalists, editors, and photographers to talk about what it actually takes to report alongside frontline communities, not just about them.

We'll dig into how fact-based, data-driven reporting exposes environmental and climate injustice, drives real accountability, and uplifts the solutions communities are already building.

Part of Stories that Move, a day-long program bridging journalism, documentary, immersive media, and oral history as tools for environmental justice movement-building.

📍 New York, NY | 🗓️ Sept 21
Register: https://luma.com/oopv0l2r

08/27/2026

Comment DECADES to watch the full conversation.

Anna Watts, a photojournalist for Kentucky’s Ashen Promises, expresses the importance of accountability journalism.

Note: This clip was edited for length.

Comment KENTUCKY to read the story.
🙌 Comment SUBSCRIBE to sign up for our weekly newsletter delivering impactful environmental justice stories straight to your inbox.

08/25/2026

Comment DECADES to watch the full conversation.

Reporter, Austyn Gaffney’s findings reveal that 17 out of 29 wells at Mill Creek showed contaminants exceeding federal standards. This raises crucial questions about regulatory oversight and the responsibility of energy companies to protect public health.

Note: This clip was edited for length.

📺️ Comment DECADES to watch the full conversation.
Comment KENTUCKY to read the story.
🙌 Comment SUBSCRIBE to sign up for our weekly newsletter delivering impactful environmental justice stories straight to your inbox.
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